a maddening macrocosm

an author of muchness, a threshold existence in even moreness

[maddeningmacrocosm]

Creator of worlds, not just humans, keeper of kitchen wisdom, and a collector of the raw, broken pieces we leave behind in the dark.

Currently running laps in and around three very different souls born of my brain and soul: an ancient epic of high fantasy lore, a tactile chronicle of feeding a family through the beautiful chaos of modern motherhood, and the unfiltered, knee-buckling confession of my own poetry and statement pieces.

Living in the thresholds.

Come pull up a chair.

[maddeningmacrocosm]

Part of the Dragonborn Saga - a game anyone can play -

SHARDS: A Game of Imperfect Balance

Shards is a traditional, highly tactile game of random chance, spatial awareness, and push-your-luck strategy. Born as a folk game on the streets and later adopted as a status symbol by high society, the game revolves around reading the unpredictable movement of mismatched, non-linear pieces to navigate a scoring field.

The Components & Scale Boundaries

The Shards (The Dice): The game pieces themselves. They are entirely non-linear and asymmetrical, possessing irregular facets and uneven weight distributions.

The Basics on Size: To maintain ergonomic play, no single piece can be larger than a standard 20-sided die (D20), or 22mm maximum

Street Variant (a spin on "Nine Pieces of Eight"): The original form of the game uses pocket-junk, small weighted pebbles, teeth, buttons, shells, or nails.

Elite Variant: Wealthy players commission master smiths to forge custom shards out of flawless obsidian, semi precious stones, metals, and bone.

The Active Pouch: A player's active game sack can hold up to 50 pieces total, allowing them to curate a roster of different weights and shapes. (Collectors and hoarders may maintain unlimited pieces in their private vaults).

The Hand (7 Max): Regardless of pouch size, a player can never toss more than 7 pieces at one time. Pieces are pulled blindly from the sack by feel, shaken, rattled, or juggled in a closed palm before being cast.

The Board: The Twin Rings

The game is played on a dual-circle mat (ranging from rugged scrap leather to smooth sugar-glossed parchment or beaten felt-fur).

The Outer Boundary: The large, main circle containing the entire playing area.

The Mid-Range Circle (The Target): A second circle positioned just under halfway on the inside of the outer boundary, creating a "doughnut" shape.

-Core Mechanics & Scoring

The ultimate objective of Shards is to accumulate points through consecutive throws without ever crossing a lethal threshold: 100 points is the absolute cap.

The Scatter: The player casts their chosen handful (up to 7 pieces). Because of their irregular shapes, the pieces do not roll cleanly—they skid, hop, and bounce unpredictably across the board fabric.

The Face Value: Each shard features numbers etched into its unique facets. Once the pieces settle, the face-up values are added together.

The Ring Modifiers: The landing zones drastically alter the score, creating a strict risk-versus-reward mechanic:

Inside the Mid-Range Circle: This is the ideal target zone. Every piece that successfully settles here grants a -5 point deduction. This safe zone allows players to bleed off points, lower their score, and survive.

Everywhere Else (Center or Out of Bounds): Any piece that completely misses the mid-range ring hits the penalty zone, slapping a brutal +5 point addition onto the player's score.

-Winning, Melting, and Stakes

The Melt (The Loss): Breaking 100 points in any way (even by a single point) is called a "Melt." The player automatically busts and is knocked out of the game.

The Last Stand: The player who throws last holds the ultimate tactical advantage. If they can execute a controlled throw, balance their ring modifiers, and remain under 100 with the highest score on the board, they win.

Traditional Stakes: Traditionally, the first person to "Melt" automatically loses pieces from their active handful to the winner. A series of losses can completely strip a gambler's pouch bare, forcing them to rebuild their set from scratch.

[maddeningmacrocosm]

PROJECTS -

Methods of my Madness, the drafts

A Hungry Desperation, part 1 of a 3 part cookbook series

The Sword and The Tomb - Book 1 of the Dragonborn saga (a D&D anthology adventure)

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Shards, the game

(d&d/dice adjacent story based game)